Silent Hurt
by Written Fire
Summary: Kagome comes back from her era hurt, and all she really needs is her brother's comfort.


_Hello, all! So, if you read my other work,**Break Down My Walls**, there is once again going to be a note for you at the bottom._

_And now that I have said that... This is an idea that has been floating around my head all day, and I had to write it down so that it would finally leave me alone. This is my first time writing in this style, and for this fandom, so if it is an overall fail of crappy writing and OOC'ness, then I apologize!  
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_**Disclaimer:** **I do NOT own Inuyasha, just the idea for this fic!**  
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The stars are out full force tonight. They're burning bright and comforting as if to make up for the darkness of our day. No, it had not rained, and there had been no demonic aura hanging ominously over our heads. No, we came across no demon that day.

The darkness came from Kagome.

It isn't hard to see that something is wrong; that something happened back on her side of the well. She tried to hide it behind her forced smiles and fake cheerful persona, but anyone who knows her in the slightest could see that it was all a lie.

One by one we tried to ask her what happened. First off was Inuyasha; he asked her in his own special, gruff way the moment she climbed up out of the well. She blew it off, a theme for her throughout the day, and induced an argument that ended in a ground shattering 'sit'.

Next had been Shippou, who had asked her in childlike wonder why she had a scarf on—it was so hot, why didn't she just take it off?—while reaching towards it. He was shoved into someone else's arms with a snappish reply that left him upset and us confused.

Sango's and Kirara's tried when we had stopped for the night and they had gone off to take a bath. The rest of us don't know what happened there, but when they came back not even twenty minutes later neither would speak to the other and would snap at anyone who so much as glanced in their direction.

Shifting against my post on the tree I sighed. It was the middle of the night, and the rest of the group was asleep, even Inuyasha up in his tree. This day…had not been the best. We spent the day in silence, the quiet tinged with our worry for our time-travelling member. A worry that Sango still felt, even through her anger. She didn't tell me this, but you could tell by the look she gave her before she fell asleep earlier.

As it always did when it came to the beautiful demon slayer, my thoughts began to drift into more…_pleasurable_ territory. So much so that I didn't notice someone wake up and make their way to me until their weight settled next to me, their heat radiating at my side.

"Miroku?" Ah, Kagome. Her voice was soft, low enough that only I could hear. "Can we talk?"

"Of course, Lady Kagome." I relied instantly, turning to face her.

"Alone?" Well. I couldn't very well say no to that, now could I? I nodded an affirmative and moments later she was leading me further into the woods and away from the group, my hand caught in hers, her grip tight and shaky.

She didn't stop until we had reached the hot springs from earlier, her hold on my hand pulling me down to sit next to her, leaning against one of the many rocks that aligned the area. I waited patiently for her to speak; my thumb running along the skin of her hand in what I hoped was a soothing way.

"I was attacked." At the words I snapped my head towards hers. She was still facing forward, her face blank as she continued to speak with this matter of fact tone. "I was walking home from the market, because momma had needed a few more things for dinner and he just…came out of nowhere. There wasn't any time for me to be able to do anything; one moment he wasn't there and then the next some man had me pinned to a wall with his hands around my throat." She turned to face me then, one of her hands flying up to rest gently on her scarf. "He left bruises…" she trailed off, slowly unraveling her scarf. I gasped the second I saw the bruises; they were thick and dark, almost compassing the entirety of her slim neck.

"Kagome, why didn't you stay?" I asked worriedly. She smiled at me sadly, the scarf slowly placed back in its concealing position.

"I couldn't; you know Inuyasha, if I hadn't have come back on time he would have been furious. Besides…I had to get away from there. I don't feel safe right now, not at home. Since the attack I haven't felt safe…not until I was here with all of you." She leaned against my side, her weight unfamiliar but comforting. "He was caught, and he's in jail, but…I needed to be here. I had to be here."

"Why haven't you said anything?" I asked hesitantly, just as hesitantly releasing her hand to wrap my arm around her shoulder. I shouldn't have worried about making her uncomfortable, though, for the moment I did she burrowed into my side. I can even swear I heard a content sounding sigh sound from her, too.

"I didn't want anyone to think I was weak. Inuyasha would never let me hear the end of it if he found out that I was hurt while there." I had to agree with her there. He already threw such a fuss when she went. If he found out something had happened to her he would use all of his power to make sure she never went back. Not alone, at least.

"What made you decide to tell me?" I wondered aloud, glancing down at her when I felt her head move.

"Because you didn't try to force me into saying anything. And I…I just needed my brother." She said that word so shyly, with a tint of fear as if she was afraid I would say something mean against it. My reaction to the sentence was far from what I am assuming she thought it would be; at that sentence I held her tighter and even went so far as to kiss her on the forehead. It was a move I had seen other siblings do, so I thought it would be safe for me to do.

It turns out that that was just what she needed for s second later I had a crying Priestess on me, her hands clinging to my clothing as she let out her pent up emotions. I can only assume that she had yet to cry for by the time she was done I was soaked and she was half asleep against me, having worn herself out.

"Thank you, Miroku." She murmured sleepily, and I barely had time to answer her with a tender 'you're welcome' before she asleep, her body pliant and—admittedly—heavy in a slump against mine.

I stayed in that position for a while, warmth in my chest at having the honor of being titled as her brother. I carried her gently back to the camp, grateful as I laid her back into her sleeping bag that no one had awoken, that no one was going to be looking at us questioningly with that tinge of jealousy in their eyes.

As I settled back into my groove at the trunk of the tree, gaze caught once again by the stars shining in the night sky, I could only think of how glad I was that no one had woken up and ruined the moment. That night, I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

_Finally, I was someone's family._

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_Well, there you have it. It was unbeta'd and posted the moment I finished it, so if you come across any mistakes please let me know!  
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_I hope that it wasn't as bad as I feel it is and that someone enjoyed it.  
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_A review would be so very much appreciated, I need to know if I should continue writing in this fandom or not!  
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_Thanks for reading!  
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_**Break Down My Walls**_readers! I am SO sorry about how long it's taking me to get that next chapter out; I promise you that I am working on it! I hit a bit of a block with it, unfortunately, so between college classes and preparing for my Papa's arrival I haven't been able to sit down and just beat it out. D: I am **_so sorry_**_, _and I swear I will get it out and to you by the end of next week at the latest! And if I don't, then you have full permission to throw tomatoes at me. Many many tomatoes. _  
-ninja82_


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